[Other] Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

[DCAfanatic]

Disney should of been aware of this they had 5 years to plan supply and demand for items now every time you go the park you hear " sorry we're sold out" maybe they didn't think DCA was going to be as big as it is now who's running this place?

[HMF]

Re: Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

Disney should of been aware of this they had 5 years to plan supply and demand for items now every time you go the park you hear " sorry we're sold out" maybe they didn't think DCA was going to be as big as it is now who's running this place?

Meg Crofton.

[FantasyWatersDude]

Re: Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

Meg Crofton.

Well, there's your problem.

[JerrodDRagon]

Re: Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

Yes kinda funny how "unsold" they were on DCA 2.0.....makes you wonder why do it..if you don't even think it will work?

That's Disney for you..don't worry they have plenty of Marvel Toys you want in Adventureland

[Mr Wiggins]

Re: Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

...who's running this place?

The same marketeers who don't risk a dime without stacks of spreadsheets pre-proving an item will sell. The same marketeers who only greenlit Carsland because it was based on the already-megaselling Cars merchandise. The same marketeers who don't make a move without endless meetings and executive signoffs.

Yes kinda funny how "unsold" they were on DCA 2.0.....makes you wonder why do it..if you don't even think it will work?

Bingo. One of the things you don't do as a Disney marketeer is say whether you think something will work or not. You present marketing data that suggest how it will work, and leave the go/no-go call to the execs -- and you keep your own gut level instincts (if you have any) and voice of experience (if you've been there long enough) out of it.

[Sir.Mouse]

Re: Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

They had 5 years to plan supply and demand for items...

How do you "plan supply and demand"? And why should Disney comply to guests demands? Disney is in a great position because the longer people have to wait for specific items the more sought after they become and thus more valuable.

[choco choco]

Re: Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

Meg Crofton.

No. Come on guys, don't just lash out at the easiest figurehead you can target. This is like blaming the President as the cause for all your troubles.

These things happen in business. Complications arise, ensue, and are overcome. If everything ran like clockwork, the suits would be out everyday playing golf. Unpredictability is part of business, and sometimes that unpredictability surprises everyone, even the ones who study it the longest.

So something came up and now Disney is leaving money on the table. Ok, they'll handle it. Another day on the job. There's no need to place blame at someone you don't know unless you actually know that they are responsible.

[ArchimedesWhatWhat]

Re: Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

There is not telling what the Disney fans are going to like more... some times the stupidest vinylmation will sell out day 1, yet a special commemorative whatever will be on the shelves for 2 years past the event.

[Uncle Bob]

Re: Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

How do you "plan supply and demand"? And why should Disney comply to guests demands? Disney is in a great position because the longer people have to wait for specific items the more sought after they become and thus more valuable.

I don't think it's a good thing for Disney at all. It was definitely poor planning, Disney doesn't need to comply with all guest demands, but high guest satisfaction is the key to the parks long term success. If they want their guests to be satisfied, which they do, they should have merchandise available when they have advertised that they would and people are making a long trip to come to the DLR. It doesn't matter that the items become more valuable, it would still have been better for Disney to be able to meet the demand. They are not making any money for example on the second hand market for Oswald hats. That's only benefiting the lucky people that got the hats for free, not Disney.

[Sir.Mouse]

Re: Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

This situation is still less of a travesty than say having warehouses of unsold John Carter merchandise or bins of untouched Tron toys. I agree that it sucks that things are sold out, and that Disney should take this as a cue to create and sell more novel merchandise. But I wouldn't go as far as to blame people I don't know or work with. And I wouldn't start condemning the company just because they underestimated the sheer popularity of it's new merch.

[gumby]

Re: Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

New merchandise is a good thing. Unique at that. TDA/TDO should get a clue about that instead of the crap you see on the shelves that's the same everywhere.

But the only thing I can say about the whole thing about things being out is that no one knew for sure this was going to take off like it did with the merch.

Do YOU want to be the one at the end of the day in a boardroom or office meeting having to fess up if that you made the call that you demanded warehouses full of merch that wasn't popular (had cars land stuff been unpopular)? Well, in business people don't like taking chances. These days Disney is reactive, not proactive. Trust me, it seems to take an act of God to get anything done on a micro level, let alone macro.

Bye.

[ohmyjustin]

Re: Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

Actually, looking at the Peter Pan Hat Discontinuation thread, I'd say that they're moving with the flow quite well when it comes to supply/demand...

[gumby]

Re: Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

Also, just an add on to Al Lutz about sourballs. The reason you can't get any is that the buyer for sourballs is finding a new vendor/company to make them.

Always remember, Disney speed does not equal expected time in the real world.

Why they switched from the old one is not something I know.

Bye.

[Sambo]

Re: Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

Those poor kids in China are cranking them out as fast as they can. Cut them some slack.

[disney_leonard]

Re: Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

Merchandise is a complex issue as already mentioned- Tron and John Carter merchandise is moving nicely- to the Character Warehouse. I was surprised at the popularity of the Cozy Cone drink holders. Very expensive for a traffic cone shaped drink cup. But, WOW- they were everywhere opening weekend. People were even buying them without beverages. Who knew? As for those stylish tire hats- I didn't see as many of those flying off the shelf at $25 but clearly they are. I would like to get the Carsland CD but when you check retail stores today you can't find CD's anymore. The market for CD's is dead. But you would have to consider why it's dead- because you can download digital music. Oops. Where can we buy digital versions? Good question.

I don't know if it's true but I have been told that the DLR merchandise warehouse space is very limited. Items from the Disneyana Shop have been sent to Company D because they were in the warehouse too long. Nice for CM's but with that mentality you can understand why they limit "new" items.

[Broadway Guru]

Re: Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

Meg Crofton.

No. Come on guys, don't just lash out at the easiest figurehead you can target. This is like blaming the President as the cause for all your troubles.

I don't think HMF meant to blame Meg specifically, more the fact that these decisions are made 3,300 miles away by people who think of DL as WDW's "little brother."

[Armadillo4]

Re: Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

Disney severely underestimated the demand for some of the unique items. And that's definitely a mistake. But I'm guessing they are complying with the demand by ordering more stock as quickly as they can. I doubt the executives are "not complying" and refusing to order more stock.

If predicting supply-and-demand ahead of time for unreleased products were that easy, then all businesses would be extremely successful. Even the best companies underestimate demand from time to time. When the iPhone 3G came out, my sister had to wait 5 weeks before her order finally arrived. Apple dealt with a notorious product shortage during that release. And I also remember shopping for a Nintendo Wii when it first came out in 2006. I forget how long it took, but it was several weeks before I finally found one at a decent price--i.e. not marked up 100% or higher by a 3rd-party retailer.

As others have also written, I do hope the executives are taking note of the popularity of land-specific merchandise and give the fans more of the really unique products that we love.

[loungefly97]

Re: Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

You probably don't want to hear this, but the only way they could have prevented running out before more arrived would have been to raise prices to a premium within the first couple days of reopening.

[Bob Weaver]

Re: Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

They are inanimate objects. Five hundred years from now they won't even exist any more. They are meaningless in the big picture. There should not be any emotional attachment to an inanimate object. People should be concerned with the people and other living beings in their lives that they love and cherish. For people to be upset that not enough of this or that were manufactured is a symptom of a society that has completely lost its way. Sorry to throw a wet blanket on this discussion, but who really cares whether a particular object is there or not there for you to exchange power-on-paper (money) for...

[swampymarsh]

Re: Why is the DLR not complying with supply and demand?

Economics.
Subject 1.
S=D P=P
S<D P=P+x

Subject 2.
Substitution

Marketing
Create Demand by limiting Supply to increase perceptive value to allow selling at a higher Price.

Are they loosing money because they don't have this stuff to sell for a short while? Probably not much and more likely making more so they can laugh taking it to the back.